Thursday, March 28, 2024

Swift by name and nature

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Sprint hurdler Greggmar Swift stunned the field to win the men’s 100 metres last Saturday night at the National Stadium during the staging of the 10th Austin Sealy Invitational Trac Classic.Showing no signs of the injury which almost prevented him from attending the CARIFTA Games, Swift made a late surge, overtaking both Elroy Agard of Rising Stars and The Lodge Schools’ Shekeim Greaves – who had a bad start –  to stop the clock in 10.66 seconds, a new  personal best.Agard was a hair’s breadth behind in 10.68 seconds and Greaves  third in 10.69.The Under-17 girls’ race was also a major talking point with 12-year-old Tristan Alleyne of Rising Stars stepping up two divisions. Parkinson’s Shavonte Bradshaw had the best start, but faded to fourth as Alleyne surged through the middle. However, Akela Taylor of Quantum Leap had too much pride to be beaten by an Under-13 athlete. She nosed ahead to win in 12.32 seconds, Alleyne was second in 12.34 and Ariel Jackson of Freedom Striders third in 12.42 as the crowd screamed in appreciation.Deon Hope won the boys’ race in a record 10.96 seconds, Pacers’ Joshua Walcott (11.22) and Rising Stars’ Shaquille Hollingsworth (11.25) finished some distance behind  for the other places.Sprint Tech’s Sanya Penn of British Virgin Islands won the women’s event in a record 11.97 seconds, erasing Mara Weekes’ 12 seconds record. Weekes of Quantum Leap was second in 12.07 seconds and Shavonne Husbands of Freedom Striders moved up to the senior division and was third in 12.23.In the junior section, Jamahl Burke of Williams Industries West Terrace Tigers won the Under-11 boys’ race in 13. 42 seconds, erasing the 13.69 set four years ago by Mario Burke. Fabian Leon of Rising Stars was second in 13.53 and Kevon Hall of the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT) squad was third in 13.62.CUT’s Shontae Cole (14.33) and Janiah Drakes (14.48); and Rosette Hoyte (14.56) of Rising Stars took the top places among the girls.Renike Daniel of Gladiators won the Under-15 girls’ race in 12.86 seconds and Ramarco Thompson of Freedom Striders (11.80) held form and sustained his speed to edge teammate Oyimpreye Ekiyor (11.86) in the boys’ race.In the two new events, West Terrace twins Leilani Haddock (12.28) and Ajani Haddock (11.60) won the Under-9 80 metres dash, both miles ahead of their competition in the timed finals.The 400 metres turned out to be canters for the winners. Parkinson’s Sonia Gaskin (57.40) and Jerrad Mason (48.83) and Jamal Marshall (48.17) of Rising Stars all came home unchallenged. In the women’s race, Samantha John of Sprint Tech set a new record of 55.57.The CUT’s Tianna Bowen and Kedane Pollard also set new records in the Under-13 400m – Bowen clocked 62.21 seconds and Pollard 58.80.In the field events,  John Jones of Elite Distance won the men’s javelin with 59.90 metres. Kevon Charles of Gladiators was second with 58.62m and former CARIFTA medallist Terry Nurse on return after a five-year break placed third with 54.81 metres.Nicoliai Bovelle (57.32m) won the Under-17 boys’ event from his Elite Distance teammate Janeil Craigg (53.09) and Antonio Waldron (45.06m) of Princess Margaret.Charles Walcott won the men’s shot put with 14.16m; BC Trac’s Tristan Whitehall won the Under-17 event with 14.18m and CUT’s Ricardo Bovell was the Under-15 champion with 10.04m. BC Trac’s Shannon Green won the under-17 girls’ discus with 25.62m and Leah Bannister the women’s throw with 37.78m.Charles Greaves of Paces won the triple  jump with a personal  best 14.35m.

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